Outclassed
by just a bit foxy
Summary: He lets out a long-suffering sigh that would make anyone believe he was the one having to deal with Goodman's constant shadowing. It makes me want to smack him, but I don't.


I can feel his eyes on me everywhere I go. Sometimes I think he might be stalking me, but I'm not sure. I see no reason for it and yet he continues to do it. Revive and Devine notice. They ask me if there's something they need to know and I give them both looks. If I wanted a human, I tell them hotly, it would be someone that isn't him. I can certainly do better than General Arthur Goodman. I'm Hilling fucking Care, you know? I can get someone who far outclasses that fat bastard. However, even though he must have knowledge of this, he won't stop. He even goes as far as checking me out during briefings. It's irritating to say the least and if I knew that Ribbons wouldn't withdraw me, I'd kill him. He's got too high a status, Ribbon would say, to be killed unnecessarily. Revive suggests we should find a way to get Celestial Being to do our dirty work. The only problem with that is that Goodman won't take on the Gundams himself from his cushy position. He just sits on his ass during battle, barking orders.

"I hate him," Revive informs me after one briefing, "so much."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, whatever." I shoot back. "At least he's not following you everywhere but the showers and your quarters."

"We could get permission to kill him." Devine murmurs. "That would be the end of your problems."

"Ribbons would never give it to us."

"He wouldn't like the idea of some disgusting human following you everywhere." Revive says, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"I bet he'd want me to use it to benefit us."

"... You really think so?"

"Almost positive."

He lets out a long-suffering sigh that would make anyone believe _he_ was the one having to deal with Goodman's constant shadowing. It makes me want to smack him, but I don't. That would be unnecessary. Besides, Devine would give me that look after Revive would pull his hurt face and whine "Aw, Hil~" in his most annoying tone. It's how it always used to go at the mansion. If Anew was around, she'd give me a stern look, but not do anything else. Revive would pout for hours afterwards because she wouldn't defend him. I always thought she was smirking then.

"Well," Revive says suddenly, "we need to do _something_ before he decides to rape you."

I make a face. "Don't say that."

"It's plain to see he wants in your pants!"

"Ew! _Don't_ say that!"

"It seems that way to me, too, Hilling." Devine gives a sage nod.

"Ewww ..."

Revive looks up at the ceiling. "Maybe we should tell him we know he's following you." he suggests. "He can't do anything to us with our licenses."

"Ribbons would probably get angry ..."

"What if he tries to force himself on you? That would make Ribbons even angrier."

I shudder. "Why do you keep saying stuff like that? It's -"

"Captain Care?" I snap my eyes to some lowly grunt. "The g-general would like to have a word with you."

It's entertaining when they quail underneath my gaze. I haven't really been at A-Laws very long, but they all know not to mess with me. Aside from Goodman, apparently.

"What does he want?" Revive demands.

The grunt quails even more. "He - he didn't say."

"Tell him Captain Care can't come."

"But he said it's i-important."

"I'll come." I say before Revive can say anything.

"Hil -" He starts.

"It'll be _fine_."

"'Kay. Call if you -"

"Revive, stop." I push away from the wall and follow the grunt to Goodman. The grunt tries to make small talk with me, but stops about halfway there realizing I'm not interested. We get greeted as we walk, but I don't reply. I want to get to Goodman as soon as possible and tell him to fuck off or I'll hurt him. Ribbons can't get mad at me for beating him up a little. Okay, well, he _can_, but it's better than what would happen if I killed him without permission.

"He's in here." The grunt waves his hand to a door. "Just go in."

I nod and enter the room, relieved it's not a bedroom. It's a meeting room with a large window. Goodman's standing by the window, looking out.

"General Goodman?"

He turns. "Ah, Captain Care ..."

"Is there something you needed?"

"Come here."

I give him a look. "I'm fine here."

He chuckles softly. "All right then." he says. "I just wanted to personally commend you on your performance with the Gadessa. Your skills outclass nearly everyone else in the organization with the possible exception of Captain Revival and Captain Nova."

"... Is that all you brought me here for?"

He chuckles again and I want to slit his throat. "Not exactly, no." It's then I realize he's closed a lot of the space between us. I blink, wondering how I couldn't have noticed.

"What are you -"

He trails a finger down my cheek. "I used to be fully opposed to having women here until you showed up."

I slap his hand away.

"My, my." He chortles. "That spirit is what I like, you know."

"You're being inappropriate."

"I saved you after your performance after Celestial Being eliminated the Memento Mori."

"... Saved me?"

"They thought the people lost were your fault because you were too concentrated on the Gundam. I admire that dedication."

I give him a look. "What do you want?"

"I recommended a promotion."

I snort. "What are you thinking, General? That if you give me a shiny new title I'll lie on my back for you? I'm not some whore."

He threads his sausage fingers through my hair and that desire to slit his throat comes back full force. "Normally, I prefer women with bigger ..." I can barely contain my anger when he gropes my chest.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" It's not my voice but Revive's. I watch him slam Goodman to the floor. Goodman's eyes are widened in shock.

"C-Captain R-Revival, I - I -" He stammers.

"You're disgusting." Revive snarls, pulling me into his arms. "I'll report you."

"B-but -"

"You fucking stay away from her, you fat bastard."

I bury my face into Revive's shoulder, digging my nails into his arms. It takes all my resolve not to pull away and snap Goodman in half.

"I'll _kill_ you if I see you even _looking_ at her the wrong way. You got it?" Revive snarls.

Goodman nods quickly. Revive makes a move to lead me out, but I pull away from him and prowl over to Goodman. He stares up at me, wincing even though I haven't done anything. _Yet_.

"Captain Care, I -" He cries out when I slam my boot down on his left hand. I may be small, but I'm stronger than I look. I hear Revive snicker behind me. Encouraged, I spit on Goodman's face and he flinches.

"Actually, _I'll_ kill you if you touch me again." I say cheerfully. "A hooker would be cheaper than a funeral, you know?"

I bounce back over to Revive, satisfied enough to leave him alive. Revive smirks, looking pleased, and we go out to meet Devine. No one says anything. We walk down the hall, me in the middle. Nobody speaks still even as we wander into our private meeting room. Devine taps in the locking sequence before coming to join Revive and I on the couches. Silence falls again until Revive pulls me into his arms, crushing me to his chest.

"I ... fuck ..." He mutters. "I'm sorry, Hil."

"It's not your -" I begin.

"_Yes_, it is. I should have done something before he - he _touched_ you."

"Revive -"

"I have never felt so angry."

I blink, looking up at him.

"I won't let it happen again. If it does, I'm fucking slitting his fucking throat."

I giggle, despite the situation, and snuggle up to him. I feel him suddenly relax, fingers playing with my hair.

"Thank you," I say softly, "for protecting me."

I can almost hear him smile. "You're welcome."

Devine is smirking and it's not hard to figure out why.


End file.
